Brushless electric DC motors were known in the industry. Typically these motors are configured with two members, a stator and a rotor, each disposed opposite one another either in the axial direction, i.e., side by side along a common axis, or else in a radial direction, i.e., one member being positioned within the other. Some of these latter configurations are complex, large, and expensive to manufacture. In general, one member is typically a stator with a plurality of electromagnetic or permanent magnet field poles upon it, while the other member is a rotor having a plurality of armature coils with carbon brushes or solid state commutations on it opposite the stator windings. Generally an air gap separates the two members.
While the art has been concerned with increasing the efficiency of the switching mechanisms, it has done so at the expense of creating a more complex and less adaptable DC motor.
There exists a long-felt need in the industry for a brushless DC motor which can be easily manufactured at a low cost and which is readily adaptable to both industrial and commercial applications. There is also the need for the motor to be efficient and yield a high torque.